Device for use in oil and gas wells.



W. S. PIERCE.

DEVICE FOR USE IN OIL AND GAS WELLS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 29. I9I7. 1,273,663. Patented July 191s.

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WILLIAM S. PIERCE,0F FRANKLIN, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO PIERCE PACKER & SUPPLY CO., OF FRANKLIN, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

DEVICE FOR USE IN OIL AND GAS WELLS.

specincation of Letters Patent.

Patented July 23, 1918.

Application led May 29, 1917. Serial No. 171,658.

To all 'whom z't may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM S. Pinnen, a citizen of the United States, residingl at Franklin, in the county of Venan-go and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Use in Oil and Gas Wells; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to improvements in devices for use in oil and gas wells, and the primary object thereof is to provide a well casing that is arranged to be lowered into the well independent of the working barrel and pumping apparatus; and which casing will be equipped with the usual packer t-o prevent water from above descending into the oil and gas field, and with interior valves for preventing flow of fluid from the inside of the casing outwardly to the oil field, whereby the working barrel and pumping apparatus may be entirely withdrawn from the well casing withoutlthe danger of wat-er from above being allowed, after getting into said casing, to pass therefrom into the oil and gas field.

By making the .well casing and working barrel, together with the4 pumping apparatus, entirely separate, I am enabled to remove at any time this working barrel and pumping apparatus for the pairs, cleaning, etc.

A further object of my present invention resides in providing a chamber in the wellcasing about the standing valve in which the sand, dirt, or other foreign particles, which may be admitted through the standing valve, with the fluid with which they areheld in suspension, may settle.

It is a still further object of myy present invention to provide above the packer and surrounding the upper part of the well cas-' ing, a chamber to receive fragments of crumbled rock and earth which may have been dislodged from the well wall above.

In the accompanying drawings forming va part of this application, and in `which similar reference symbols indicate corresponding partsin the several views:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of an purpose of rethe lower portion of the well casing andV standing valve,

Referring more particularly to the drawings, in which one embodiment of my presont invention is illustrated, l designates the lower and 2 the next adjacent upper sections of the well casing, which are shown to be joined together by the coupling 3. Above this coupling 3 is a packer 4 of any suitable characterwhich, when in place, will prevent ywater or lother foreign material which m'ay be present in the Well above from passing down into the oil and gas field, which is indicated generally at 5.

The lower-most section 1 of the well casing is received at its lower end into a reducing coupling 6, which carries a shoe orpipe having perforations 8 therein through which the fluid matter in the oil field 5 may pass.y The reducing coupling G is threaded interiorly, as shown at 9 in Fig. 3, to receive the lower end of a tube 10 on which the standing valve-11 is supported. This tube 10 extends to a relatively great height above the reducing coupling 6, and is of considerably less diameter than the diameter of the well casing l, providing, with the latter, an annular chamber 12 in which the sand, dirt, or other foreign particles suspended in the oil, may settle; as otherwise such foreign material might have a tendency to adhere to the standing valve l1 or to its seat, and revent the accurate seating of such stan ing valve,

The upper end of the uppermost section 2 of the well casing extends a; ove the packer 4, and provides thereabout a chamber 31 provided to receive fragments of crumbled rock and earth that may have released themselves from the sides of the well wall. The upper end of the wellcasing 2 is open and threaded to receive a head 13 laus havmg a beveled upper end 14. This beveled end 14 forms a seat for thepacking 15 held in 'the complementally beveled lower end of a coupling piece 16. The coupling tubing 17, through which the oil is pumped the check vvalve 25. The

to the surface and through which reciprocates the sucker rod 18.` The coupling piece 16 carries a working barrel 19 which eX- tends down within the Well casing sections 2 and-1, and when positioned therein has its lower end just above the standing valve 11. The working` barrel 19 is of less eX- terior diameter than the interior diameter of the well casing l, 2, for the purpose of providing an annular chamber 20 through which the gas from the oilf and gas lield 5 is allowed to escape to the gas relief pipe 21, p

in a manner hereinafter more fully explained.

The lower end of this barrel 19 carries a collar 22 for the purpose of spacing the barrel from the casing. In the bottom of the barrel 19 is a stationary valve 23 which opens upwardly to admit the oil freely from vthe casing section 1 when the pressure wit-hin the barrel 19 is less than that in the well casing; but which automatically closes to trap the fluid in the barrel 19 and compel it to be elevated through the tubing 17 and to the surface of the well on the further operation of the pump plunger, as will be readily understood by those skilled in the art. This pump plunger is indicated at 21 and may be of any suitable type, it carrying plunger 2l is reciprocated vertically in the barrel 19 by the sucker rod 18.

-The adjajcent ends of the sections 1 and 2 forming the well casing, do not meet in the coupling 3, but are separated to permit the entrance ofthe gas to the annular chamber 20. The coupling 3 is provided at this point with an.V opening 26 which communicates with a valve chamber 27 having located therein a check valve 28. This check valve 28 opens upwardly by the action of the gas in ascending, and permits such gas to freely pass into the valve chamber 27 and from there through the opening 26 and into the annular gas chamber 20. The valve 28, however, will prevent back How, as it will automatically seat when the pressure above is greater than that below.

In the coupling piece 16 is a passage 29.

which has its lower end disposed at the top of the annular chamber 20 for the purpose of receiving the gas ascending thereinand delivering it to the gas relief pipe 21 which carries the gas to the surface.

The operation of the present apparatus is substantially as follows:

The well casing consisting of any number of sections, as, 'for instance, thetwo sections land 2 shown in the accompanying drawings, is lowered into the well until it arrives at its proper position with respect to the gas and oil field 5; whereupon the packer L1, which is of any suitable type, may

be set so that upper water bearing strata are entirely cut oli' from the oil and gas eld 5 below said packer.

Afterthe well casing and v packer have been properly located and set, the oil tubing 17, gas piping 21, together with the coupling piece 16 and suspended working barrel 19, are lowered into the well and the barrel 19 is received within the well casing, in its final position, taking up the location shown in Fig. l; and the coupling piece 16 will, when finally located, rest in the position shown in Fig. 1 with its beveled lower end engaging the upper beveled end of the head 13, the packing 15 being pressed firmly against the head 13 by the weight 'of the tubing 17 above, and forming a tight joint to prevent the escape of gas from the annular chamber 20 or the entrance of water or other foreign matter from the exterior into said annular chamber 20. After being in the position as shown in Fig. 1, gas from the field 5 may freely pass up through the valve 28 into the annular chamber 20 and through the passage 29 to the piping 21, by which it will be conveyed to the surface.

The oil will flow in through the perforations 8 in the pipe 7 f and up through the tubing 10 and through the standing valve 11 into the lower section l of the well casing. Here it will give up its suspended matter, which will be deposited in the annular chamber 12. It is to be understood that the standing valve 11 will automatically open to admit this oil at all times when lthe pressure within the well casing is lower than that in the oil field, which change in pressure is constantly being brought about by the operation of the plunger 2l, as will be understood.

'-On the up-stroke of the plunger 24 the valve 25 will, of course, be seated, and a suction will be created in the lower part ofthe barrel 19, which will have the effect of un seating the stationary valve 23 and causing an in-rush of the oil from the well casing into said barrel. On the down-stroke of the plunger 24 the stationary valve 23 will be held by the pressure to its seat, and the oil will, in the usual manner, be forced through the moving ,valve 25 and up through the plunger 24 into the upper part of the barrel 19, from which it will be delivered to the oil tubing 17 on subsequent strokes of the plunger 24.

From time to time as it becomes necessary or desirable to clean the working barrel 19 y or to replace any of the valves 23, 25,v or appurtenant parts, the same may be withdrawn upwardly through the, well without necessltating the removal of the casing and packer 4, and without allowing any of the 4 water or foreign matter in the well above to descend down into the oil field which l coupling piece 16, tubing 17, and gas piping 21 are removed upwardly throu h the well, water from strata above may cescend into the chamber 31 about the well casing, but it will be prevented by the packer L from getting down into the field 5 on the exterior of the well casing. Water from above may also find its way into the interior of the well casing through the open mouth at the head 13, but such water will not be permitted to flow from the casing into the oil field by reason of the standing valve 11 which operates in one direction only.

After the working barrel and pumping apparatus have been cleaned and `parts renewed, the same may bereplaced in the well, as shown in Fig. 1, `and upon subsequent operation of the plunger 24 the water which has found its Way into the well casinT will be elevated up through the working barrel and oil tubing 17, and will be thus driven out of the well without having the opportunity to get into the oil and gas field 5.

In a similar manner, any water or foreign matter that may descend into the annular gas passage 20, willbe unable to get into the oil and gas field 5, through the valve chamber 27, because of the check valve 28 therein preventing any back flow.

. My present invention forms a very effective apparatus for protecting the oil and gas field from the damage occasioned by water or other foreign material, and at the same time admits of the ready removal of the working parts of the device to permit cleaning and removal of the parts.

I wish it distinctly understood that the packer 4 and packing 15, as shown in the drawing, are merely for purposes of illustrating one form which these devices may take; I reserve the right to employ other styles of packers and packings, and to place the same in different relations to the other parts of my invention than those disclosed herein; and if desirable, I may omit such packers or packings entirely, as, for instance,

in the case where the amount of water admitted would be very slight, such water may be permitted to flow into the open upper end of the chamber 20, whence it will get down into the pump chamber and be pumped out with the oil. In no case, however, will the water be allowed to get into the oil field 5.

It Will be understood, moreover, that I do not desire to be confined to the construction of the pumping apparatus as I have illustrated it, nor to the particular manner in which it is fitted to my invention, as it is apparent that other types of such apparatus may equally well be employed and be attached in various ways. Furthermore, the valves 11 and 28, as well as those shown in the pumping apparatus, are indicated as ball check valves only to give expression to one construction of which the invention is susceptible, and other equivalent valves may be substituted.

It is obvious that those skilled in the art may vary the details of construction and arrangements of parts without departing from the spirit of my invention, and therefore I do not wish to be limited to such features except as may be required by the claims.

I claim- 1. In a device of the character described, the combination of a. short length of casing adapted to be `placed in the lower part of a well and having an open upper end, a packer carried by said casing for preventing foreign matter from upper strata from passing to the oil and gas field, a pumping apparatus adapted to be removably fitted in said casing and being withdrawable from the well independent thereof, said pumping apparatus adapted to divide said casing to provide separate oil and gas chambers, means carried by said pumping apparatus for normally closing the open end of said casing, means for carrying off the gas from said gas chamber separately from the oil, and means for pern'iitting the free entrance of oil and gas from the oil and gas field respectively to said oil and gas chambers but preventing. back flow or the passage of foreign matter' from the interior of said casing to said oil and gas field when the pumping apparatus is removed, substantiall as described.

2. In a device of tie character described, the combination of a casing adapted to be fitted in a well and providing in the lower 10( part thereof an oil chamber, a standing valve in said oil chamber, a pumping barrel ofsmaller diameter than said casing adapted to be fitted therein and providing therewith a gas chamber, means carried b said pump- 10E lng barrel for separating sai oil and gas chambers, a gas check valve for admitting gas from the gas field to said gas chamber, an oil pipe for conveying the oil to the surface from said pumping barrel, and a gas conduit for conveying away separately the gas from said gas chamber, substantially as described.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination of a casing of relatively short length fitted in the lower part of a well, a packer surrounding said casing and preventmg the passage of foreign matter from upper strata from getting into the oil and gas field said casing projecting upwardly beyond said packer and providing with the Well walls a chamber to receive foreign matter held from passage by said packer, a pumping apparatus removably fitted in said casing and withdrawable from lthe well independently thereof, means caropen communication with the oil field, said pipe providing with the casing a chamberA for the deposit of the foreign matter held in suspension in the oil, a stand valve held on the upper end of said pipe, a gas check valve for` admitting gas from the gas field to said gas chamber, means for separately carrying oft1 the gas from said gas chamber, and independent means for conveying the oil to the surface from said oil chamber, substantially as described.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination of a casing of relatively short length having an open upper end and being fitted in the lower part of a well, a packer surrounding said casing, a head secured to the upper open end of said casing,

a pumping apparatus removably fitted in said casing, a coupling piece carried by said pumping apparatus and adapted to rest on said headrand close the upper end of said casing, oil and gas chambers in said casing, a standing valve in said oil chamber, and a gas check valve for admitting gasto the gas chamber, substantially as described.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination of a casing having an open upper end fitted in the lower part of a well, a packer surrounding said casing, a head having a beveled upper end held on the upper end of said casing, a removable pumping apparatus fitted within said casing, a coupling piece carried with said pumping apparatus and having a beveled lower end fitting the beveled upper end of said head whereby to close the upper end of said casing, a packing confined between the beveled ends of said coupling piece and head, oil and gas chambers in said casing, a standing valve in said oil chamber, a gas check valve for admitting gas to said gas chamber, piping for conveying the oil to the surface, said coupling piece having a passage communicating with said gas chamber, and separate piping connected to said passage for conveying off the gas, substantially as described.

6. In a device of the character desc'ribed, the'combination ofv a casing fitted in the lower part of a well and having an open upper end, a head carried on the upper end of said casing, a removable pumping 'apparatus fitted in said casing, a coupling piece connected to said pumping apparatus and field and providing with the casing a chamadapted to rest upon said'headto close the upper end of said casing, oil and gas chambers in said casing, a stand pipe in said oil chamber in open communication with the oil ber for the deposit of suspended matter in the oil, a standing valve held on the upper end of said pipe, a gas check valve for admitting gas to said gas chamber, and means beyond said packer and forming with the -well walls a chamber to receive foreign matter, a head carried on the open upper end of said casing, a pumping apparatus removably fitted in said c asing, a coupling piece carried by said pumping apparatus and adapted to Y rest on said head to close the upper end of said casing, oil and gas chambers in said casing, a stand pipe in said oil chamber having open communication with the oil field and forming with the casing walls a chamber for the deposit of foreign matter suspended in the oil, a stand valve held on said pipe, a check valve for admitting gas from the gas field to said gas chamber, and separate oil and gas piping for removing the oil and gas respectively from said oil and gas chambers, substantially as described.

8. In a device of the character described, a well casing having an open upper end, a packer carried by the outside of said well casing for preventing foreign matter from passing to the oil and gas field, oil and gas chambers in said casing, valves for admitting the oil and gas to said chambers, but preventing back iiow therefrom to the oil and gas field, a head at the open upper end ing barrel, means carried by said working I barrel for partitioning the casing to provide oil and gas chambers, a standing valve in said oil chamber, a gas check valve carried by said coupling and adapted to admit gas between the ends of said casing sections, a head on the upper end of the casing, a coupling piece connected to said barrel and resting on said head, and means connected `to said coupling piece for separately conveying oif the oil and gas, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I aix my signature.

WILLIAM S: PIERCE. 

